Brazilian jiu-jitsu brothers in arms!

HAVING WON several Brazilian jiu-jitsu (BJJ) titles across Britain, two brothers from Kent have their sights set on becoming mixed martial arts (MMA) masters.

Jaidon and older brother Reyce Asesimba have been training and competing in BJJ for little over a year but are already English championships; a title they both won this month.

When BJJ legend Royce Gracie won the first Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) tournament back in 1993, he proved that BJJ – which teaches practitioners to defend themselves whilst on the ground and to also apply submissions to defeat opponents - is a vital component to succeed in MMA.

Six-year-old Jaidon and Reyce, 11, from Rochester are also studying other fighting disciplines like Muay Thai kickboxing, no-gi grappling and MMA at the Combat Sports Academy in Strood and between them they have captured 16 gold medals at tournaments across the UK.

Distinguishable by their high top haircuts, they train almost every day but their father Heru told the Voice of Sport that the siblings have different goals.

“They want to be world champions and fight the best in the world. Jaidon wants to do MMA, he wants to be in the UFC. He wants to be the next Anderson Silva.

THOROUGH TECHNIQUE: Younger brother Jaidon attempts to apply an armbar on his brother

“Reyce wants to be a BJJ world champion and run a school with Jaidon. That’s where their mindsets are at. Reyce wants to be the youngest black belt in the UK so when he hits the age when he can get his black belt he’s doing his best to get it almost instantly.”

The Asesimba brothers, who are of Jamaican heritage, are home schooled by their parents and Heru explained his delight at their progress within such a short period of time.

“They’re already going through a championship ethos and they just love doing it,” he said. “If I could let them sleep at the gym they would! These two put so much time and energy into what they’re doing and they’re determined.”

Heru continued: “If you watch Reyce fight it’s like watching a purple belt or a blue belt. He’s so calm; I call him an old man! I’m just so proud of the way they perform.

“Some of the things they do are unbelievable. It’s like watching adult fighters just from the technique that they use.”

The achievements of the youths have garnered sponsorship from companies on a national and global scale which could prove useful as the Asesimbas want to train abroad in America and Brazil to enhance their skills.

And for those who have not seen the Asesimbas in action, “you’re going to see dynamic, very quick and precise technique,” added Heru. “It is quite astonishing.

"If you’re an adult and you’ve never done BJJ for the first time and you put a gi and roll with these two, they will tap you out! For what they’ve done in a year, I feel it’s pretty much unheard of.”